Scrapless forming of plastic articles

ABSTRACT

A SCRAP FREE PROCESS FOR RAPIDLY MAKING THERMOPLASTIC CONTAINERS WHEREIN THE RESULTANT CONTAINERS CAN, IF DESIRED, BE MULTILAYERED FOR VAPOR OR GAS BARRIER OR OTHER REASONS, OR BE ORIENTED FOR TOUGHNESS AND IMPROVED STRESS CRACK RESISTANCE. THE CONTAINTERS CAN BE FORMED FROM MULTILAYERED OR HOMOGENEOUS PLASTIC SHEETS WHEREIN A RELATIVELY THIN THERMOPLASTIC BLANK IS PROVIDED. THIS BLANK IS LUBRICATED, HEATED AND FORGED INTO A DESIRED SHAPE PREFORM WITH A PREDETERMINED LIP CONFIGURATION. THE CENTER PORTION OF EACH SAID PERFORM IS MAINTAINED AT A FORMING TEMPERATURE WHILE THE PERIPHERAL PORTION THEREOF IS RAPIDLY BROUGHT BELOW THE SOFTENING POINT OF THE PLASTIC RESIN. THE PREFORM IS THEN IMMEDIATELY THERMOFORMED INTO A CONTAINER HAVING A DESIRED SHAPE AND SIZE, AND COOLED. IF DESIRED, THE PREFORM CAN BE FORGED, COOLED AND ECOVERED FOR A SUBSEQUENT THRMOFORMING OPERATION.

June 12, 1973 R. E. AYRES ETAL 3,739,052

SCRAFLESS FORMING 0F PLASTIC ARTICLES Filed Aug. 11, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. R0 lph E. flyres Ken/3 9 2% J. C/eereman 4 BYWOI/ r Jig/M676 #TTORNEYS June 12, 1973 R. E. AYRES ETAL 3,739,052

SCRAPLESS FORMING OF PLASTIC ARTICLES Filed Aug. 11, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v IL WK 223 55 52a 34 /l from/E Ya;

June 12, 1973 R. E. AYRES ET SCRAPLESS FORMING OF PLASTIC ARTICLES Filed Aug. 11, 1970 v 4 Sheets-Sheet .3

INVENTORS. R040/; 5. fly/ens Kenna/h J. C/eeremon Wa/fer J. Sabre/7k flTTOR/VEKS June 12, 1973 AYRES ET AL 3,739,052

SCRAPLESS FORMING OF PLASTIC ARTICLES Filed Aug. 11, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS. Ra/p/2 E. Hyres Kennezh J. C/eereman Wa/fer J Jc/vrenk HTTORNfYS United States Patent O 3,739,052 SCRAPLESS FORMING F PLASTIC ARTICLES Ralph E. Ayres and Kenneth J. Cleereman, Midland, and Walter J. Schrenlr, Bay City, Mich, assignors to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.

Filed Aug. 11, 1970, Ser. No. 62,969 Int. Cl. B29c 17/04; B2912 /00 U.S. Cl. 264-92 37 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A scrap free process for rapidly making thermoplastic containers wherein the resultant containers can, if desired, be Inultilayered for vapor or gas barrier or other reasons, or be oriented for toughness and improved stress crack resistance. The containers can be formed from multilayered or homogeneous plastic sheets wherein a relatively thin thermoplastic blank is provided. This blank is lubricated, heated and forged into a desired shape preform with a predetermined lip configuration. The center portion of each said preform is maintained at a forming temperature while the peripheral portion thereof is rapidly brought below the softening point of the plastic resin. The preform is then immediately thermoformed into a container having a desired shape and size, and cooled. If desired, the preform can be forged, cooled and recovered for a subsequent thermoforming operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a high speed process for making thermoplastic containers wherein a thermoplastic blank is forged under proper conditions into a preform having a defined peripheral configuration and then immediately thermoformed into a container to produce the desired container shape having advantageous properties heretofore unobtainable in rapidly thermoformed containers.

It is well known that preforms can be injection molded from a molten polymer and later thermoformed into a thermoplastic container. See, for example, U.S. Pats. 3,305,158 and 3,488,805. However, no quick forming process for thermoforming scrap free containers using other than an injection molding process has been known. Injection molding processes are severely limited in what can be done in forming the preform and the resultant qualities of the container. For example, the forming of oriented and/ or multilayered preforms is not readily and easily accomplished in injection molding processes, and relatively expensive equipment is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an improvement over the prior art in that an especially quick process of making a thermoplastic container is achieved, while the process is scrap free and provides a container which can be multilayered and/or oriented where desired. In the process a preform is forged in a matter of seconds with a finished rim and immediately thermoformed into the container while the relatively hot center portion thereof is still at a thermoforming temperature.

The present invention includes the following steps: A relatively thin thermoplastic blank is provided. Lubrication is then provided for the surfaces of the blank by directly lubricating the blank or the molds in which the blanks are forged. One of these blanks is then pre-heated to a temperature ranging from just below the softening point to about the melting point of the plastic resin and immediately forged in a heated mold into a desired shape preform in which the center portion thereof is maintained at its forming temperature while the peripheral portion is rapidly brought below the softening point of the plastic. The preform is then immediately thermoformed into a container having a desired shape and size, and cooled.

Orientation is built into the container through the forging of the preform and/or thermoforming of the containers by this process. A higher degree of orientation can be obtained if the preform is forged directly from oriented blanks; where forging is initiated below the softening point of the blank.

A further aspect of the present invention is the provision wherein a relatively thin thermoplastic blank is provided by dividing a sheet of plastic into a plurality of polygonal blanks having a size and shape such that scrap is minimized or eliminated. It particularly is desirable in this regard to cut the sheet into a series of square blanks. These blanks can then be forged to a desired forming shape such as circular with virtually no scrap.

Another aspect of this invention is the provision wherein blanks are forged in a forging means having a cooled lip forming means therein whereby the forging pressure applied is sufficient to cause the plastic blank to flow uniformly into the lip forming means with a dwell time just sufiicient to cause the peripheral part thereof to be brought rapidly below the softening point of said plastic while the center portion is maintained at its forming temperature.

Other features of the process are that single and multiple layer preforms can be readily contoured to provide more uniform draw of containers, and the preforms can be distortion printed prior to thermoforming.

While a wide variety of thermoplastics can be used in this invention, the invention is particularly applicable to a multilayer sheet of at least two different plastics, for example, wherein the multilayer sheets or laminate consists of two sheets of a polyvinyl aromatic such as styrene, polyvinyl toluene, or rubber modified blends thereof with a core of polyvinylidene chloride (saran). A further useful laminate comprises two sheets of a poly-.

olefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene with a core of polyvinylidene chloride.

The containers formed by this process when a multilayer blank is used containing a core of saran are particularly advantageous in that this process gives a composite wherein the saran layer is essentially pinhole free with no cracks. Hence, the containers are excellent barriers to gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, for example, odors, etc. and are useful to package foodstuffs.

The invention is also applicable to the use of a single sheet of plastic such as polyolefin, i.e., polyethylene, polypropylene, etc., and polyvinyl aromatics such as polystyrene, as well as polyvinyl halides such as polyvinyl chloride, etc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The process of this invention is illustrated by the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a forging press having heated platens and a cooled lip forming fixture in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing enlarged and in greater detail the relationship of the lip forming fixture to the platens of the press and to the blank which is to be forged;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the relationship of the parts after the blank is forged into a preform;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of the lip forming fixture illustrating the details of the detent;

FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view of the details of the lip forming fixture in relationship to the blank and the platens of the press;

FIG. 6 is a similar isometric view showning the relationship of the parts after the platens have compressed the blank into a preform; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2 only showing apparatus for thermoforming the preform into a container.

Referring more specifically to FIG. 1, 10 is the movable ram of a hydraulic or similar press 11 and 12 is the lower stationary ram of the same press 11. The upper ram 10 is guided during its vertical reciprocating motion by the guides 13 which are fixed into the lower ram 12. The upper ram 10 has a platen 14 secured to it in the center of a heating coil 18 which is provided with pipes 19 to carry a heating fluid such as steam or hot oil. In a similar manner, the lower stationary ram 12 has mounted on it a lower platen 16 which is likewise heated by a heating coil 20 having pipes 19 to carry the heating fluid. On top of the lower platen 16 a lip forming fixture 21 is removably mounted. This lip forming fixture 21 has flexible hoses 24 and 26 to carry a cooling fluid to and from the lip fixture.

In FIG. 2 the details of the lip forming fixture 21 are shown in greater detail. Thus, the lip forming fixture 21 comprises an upper ring 36 which is contoured at 37 to match the chamfered surface 15 of the upper platen 14 and a lower ring 38 which is likewise contoured at 39 to match the chamfered surface 17 of the lower platen 16. The upper ring is channeled to provide a circumferential cooling channel 28 which is sealed by a ring 29. In similar manner, the lower ring 38 is channeled to provide a cooling channel 30 which is sealed by a ring 31. Upper ring 36 inculdes a shoulder 61 and a lower ring 38 and a shoulder 62 and a face 63, which shoulders cooperate in a clamp fashion to firmly engage the top of preform lip 23 and the present face 63 angled from the horizontal sufficient to resist the retraction stress of the polymer so that the preform will not pull out of the fixture 21 when the platen 14 is opened. At the same time the function of the clamp results in a finished molded lip about the rim of the preform.

The upper ring 36 has a plurality of notches 27 cut out of the lower sides thereof. Three of these notches 27 have been found to be adequate for most purposes. However, more or less than this number can be used as is desired. These notches are for the purpose of obtaining a positive lock when the upper ring 36 is depressed into the lower ring 38. During the course of the downward movement of the upper ring 36, the spring detent 25 is pushed back momentarily against a spring 41 and then pushed forward to lock into the notch 27 as is shown in FIG. 3. Associated with the detent 25 is an adjusting screw 22 for adjusting the tension on the spring loaded detent 25. The series of flexible hoses 24 and 26 are provided to carry a cooling fluid such as cold water to the upper ring 36 and the lower ring 38, respectively.

In FIGS. and 6 essentially the same details shown in FIG. 2 are illustrated in exploded and isometric views to further clarify the relationship of the parts. For purposes of clarity, the flexible cooling tubes 24 and 26 are not illustrated in these figures. It is readily apparent that a plurality of these cooling tubes can be provided in order that the upper and lower rings are maintained at a uniform temperature substantially below that of heated platens.

In the steps of this process, a lubricant is applied to the surface of a blank 32 (which can be homogeneous as shown on the left side, or optionally multilayered, as layers 32a, 32b, 32c, for example, on the right side of FIG. 2) or platens of forging fixture 21, the blank 32 is then preheated in an air oven or other appropriate apparatus to a temperature ranging from just below the softening point to about the melting point of the plastic, and this is then placed on the lower platen 16. The upper ram then descends under pressure to forge the heated blank 32 into the cavity between the platens 14 and 16 and into the adjacent lip forming cavity 23 (shown in FIG. 3) which is orm d l h il l m ren ial pa e between the upper ring 36 and the lower ring 38. Blank 32 is comprised of thermoplastic material sufiicient for an article.

It is to be understood that the upper and lower platens 14 and 16, respectively, are previously heated to a forging temperature generally above the softening point of the plastic. The temperature of the platens and the blank can be the same or different but it is preferred to have the platens at a slightly higher temperature than the blank. It is also preferred to have the blank 32 preheated in an air oven or a similar device prior to its insertion into the fixture 21.

The platens can optionally be contoured (not shown) so that the forged preform will be correspondingly contoured with the result that the distribution of resin in the preform will permit more uniform drawing of the container. For example, more resin material can be located in that part of the preform from where the bottom corner of the container will be formed. This is readily accomplished whether the preform is homogeneous or multilayered.

The upper platen 14 remains in its lower compressing position for a dwell time just suflicient to cause the peripheral part of the resulting forged preform 34 (which can be homogeneous as shown on the left side, or optionally multilayered as layers 34a, 34b and 340, for example, on the right side of FIG. 3) to be brought rapidly below the softening point of the plastic by the cooled lip fixture 21 and its associated parts. At the same time, the center portion of said preform remains in a softened state due to the higher temperature of the heated platens 14 and 16.

The platens 14 and 16 are then Withdrawn from the lip forming fixture 21, and the fixture 21 having the preform 34 contained therein is then moved rapidly to a mold 40 wherein a thermoforming operation is preformed to form the preform into the shape of container 42 (which can be homogeneous as shown on the left side, or optionally multilayered, as layers 42a, 42b and 42c, for example, on the right side of FIG. 7) including the rim or lip 23 as shown in FIG. 7. A top plate 44 is then clamped to the retaining ring 21 and applies air pressure through aperture 46 to the top of the preform to assist in the thermoforming operation. A vacuum can be drawn through vacuum ports 48 which, in cooperation with positive pressure from the aperture 46, performs the thermoforming function. A plug assist can also be used where an especially deep draw is necessary. A hydraulic mechanism 50 serves to move the top plate 44 up and down to open the cavity for removal of the part, and to close upon the clamp ring to secure the rim 23 in place during thermoforming, respectively. Transfer of a preform occurs while it is still hot moldable so that it can be vacuum formed into the mold 40 and there allowed to cool, and is then subsequently recovered. Cooling passages 52 can be used to assist the solidifiction of the container 42 in mold 40.

The use of lubricants on the blanks or on the platen surfaces or both is necessary in this invention to insure that the plastic flows uniformly into the mold cavity and to avoid warping. It has been found that without the use of lubricants, a laminated sheet will not flow uniformly into the cavity but that the internal layer or core will be substantially extruded ahead of the outer surfaces of the laminate so that partial or complete disruption of the laminates takes place. In other Words, the lubricant permits plug flow of the blank (i.e., flow approaching the uniform velocity profile of the polymer cross-section) into the shape of the preform. Illustrative examples of lubricants that can be used are glycerine, fatty acid soaps, paraflin waxes, silicones, thermoplastic films, oils, and the like.

The plug flow resulting from the lubrication in turn permits the preform to be distortion printed prior to thermoforming into a container,

Since the thermoplastic resins that may be used in this invention are quite varied, it is obvious that the terms forging temperature,- thermoforming temperature, softening poin and melting point used herein are relative terms and cannot be defined specifically without section with a maximum diameter of five inches and a depth of 1 /2 inches, with outwardly sloping side walls in the manner indicated above. The reslults are indicated in Table I. In each example of Table I the softening temperature was about 205 F., the melting temperature considering the characteristics of each resin employed in 5 (usually not a definite point) was in the range of 300 the process. Laminates of two or more plastics will have F. to 550 F., and the forging temperature (temperature different forging temperatures, softening points, melting of forging platens) was about 265 F. In each example points, etc., than their component parts. Generally it has it can be seen that the blank preheat temperature (from been found that the softening temperature of a laminate Table I) was in the range of from just below the softening 1s dominated by the softening temperature of the surface temperature to about the melting temperature of the resin layerincontact with the mold surface. Fora given thermoof the blank, and the forging temperature was at least plastic material, optimum forging temperature can be deas high as the softening temperature of the resin.

TABLE I Range of Birefringence I preheat Blank orientation temperature of Example N 0. conditions Transparency of sheet Sheet Container Transparency of sheet blank F.)

1 Not oriented O 0 4X10-3 Opaque 240260 2.-. Stretched 1. 2x10 12 10- 175-190 3 do 2. 2 10 14x10 175-190 a Index of orientation determined from fringe patterns under a polarized microscope wtih monochromatic light by the method of E. F. Gurnee Jour. of Applied Physics :1232-40 (1954).

Not tested.

B No containers made due to inability of fixture to retain preform.

termined in accordance with accepted techniques by following the principles of this invention. The pressure ranges used in the forging step are quite variable according to the plastic which is to be forged and to the temperature to which it is heated and to the dimensions of the cavity at the mold tip.

It is essential to the success of this invention when using multilayer blanks that at least three conditions be obtained before the plastic blank is forged; (1) the blanks must be warm, i.e., preheated to a temperature ranging from just below its softening point to about its melting point depending on the particular resin in the blank; (2) the blank and/or the mold (i.e., platen) surfaces must be lubricated; and (3) the mold surfaces must be warm, i.e., heated to a temperature above the softening point of the resin of the blank.

As illustrations of the criticality of the foregoing conditions, it was observed that if the mold surfaces were cold, i.e., at room temperature, and the multilayer blank was heated to a forging temperature and no lubrication was used, the center layer of layers were squeezed out of the multilayered blanks. Even when lubricants were used under the above conditions, there was considerable extrusion of the middle layer or layers.

When both the blank and the mold were heated to a forging temperature and no lubrication was used, there was still extrusion of the middle layers. It was only when all three of the above conditions were observed that uniform preforms were obtained from the multilayer blanks.

When the process was applied to the homogenous plastic blank, i.e., a blank made from a single plastic sheet, the above conditions are not as critical, but is preferred to use them since by so doing the process is much faster and springback or warpage of the resultant container is eliminated.

EXAMPLES The invention is further illustrated by the following examples.

Quantities of high impact polystyrene containing 5 percent styrene-butadiene rubber were compression molded or extruded into sheets of about 100 mils in thickness. Some of these sheets were then tentered and biaxially oriented at various temperatures as indicated in Table I.

Square blanks of about 2-3 inches square were then cut from these sheets and forged into generally circular preforms and containers having a circular horizontal cross In similar examples of the present invention, it was found that when a blank having no orientation was used to form a container according to this invention the container was always opaque but did have improved strength and stress crack resistance due to orientation resulting from forging of the blank into a preform, and subsequent thermoforming of the preform into a container. If at least a moderate amount of orientation was present in the blank a generally transparent container usually resulted, and this container had greatly improved strength and stress crack resistance. The upper limit on the amount of orientation is determined by the physical characteristics of the lip forming fixture. For example, for every lip forming fixture there will be a point at which the stresses induced into an oriented blank are greater than the ability of the fixture to hold the lip of the resultant oriented preform when it is attempted to squeeze the blank into a preform. This is believed to be due to the fact that heat is developed in the blank when it is squeezed and the heat transferred from the mold which then causes the blank to shrink and revert back to its original unoriented size and shape, i.e., the memory effect. In certain instances where some polymers are under high stress, the polymers heat distortion temperature may be decreased somewhat.

From the data presented in Table I it is evident that the process of this invention always produces a container having orientation greater than that of the blank from which it is formed with the added advantage that if the blank is opaque, due to the presence of small amounts of impact improvers such as various rubbers, the container usually will also be rendered generally transparent.

A summary of physical properties in a series of tests of sheet, preforms and containers when starting from sheets of different levels of orientation, where the containers are formed according to this invention, are set forth in Table II, the results clearly showing a dramatic increase in tensile strength for a given polystyrene material through the steps of the process and also as the orientation of the original sheet is increased. This increased orientation also contributes to highly improved stress crack resistance of the resulting polystyrene container, the relationship between increased orientation and stress crack resistance being well established. The physical properties of the sheet stock from which squares were cut, the 5%" diameter performs and the former containers of Table II were all tested for tensile strength 7 8 and percent of elongation by A.S.T.M. Method D1708-66 tianium dioxide or other white pigments, in addition to (Tensile Properties of Plastics by Use of Microtensile styrene-butadiene rubber which has been laminated to Specimens). I-shaped test bars were cut in the radial and an impact polystyrene sheet which has been pigmented tangential direction from the fiat sections of the preform with a contrasting pigment such as carbon black, one can and the formed containers, and also from the sidewall 5 obtain oleomargarine tubs or other food containers which of the formed container. In most cases, data for any one are extremely attractive in that the inner surfaces are preform or container was averaged and reported as a white while the outer surfaces are black or other colors. single value. These containers, in addition to being attractive, are

TABLE II [Summary of physical properties] Example 2, Example 3, Example 1, polystyrene polystyrene polystyrene biaxially biaxially unoriented oriented oriented blank blank blank Properties of the blank:

Birefringence e 1. 2 10 2. 2 1O- TS at yield b (p s i 3, 810 4, 090 4, 320 TS at rupture b (p.s.i.) 2, 950 4, 310 4, 800 Elong. at rupture 6 (percent) 35 39 22 Properties of the dia. preform:

Biretrimwne 1. ()5X10 3. 4X1 5. 1X10- TS at yield (p.s.i.) 4, 310 5, 500 6, 650 TS at rupture (p.s.i.) 4, 390 6, 850 6, 950 Elong. at rupture (percent) 38 43 60 Properties of the 5% dia. x 1% deep formed containers:

Birefringence 4. 0X10- 12 l0- 14X10- TS at yield (p.s.i.) 5, 690 8, 740 10, 080 TS at rupture (p.s.i.) 6, 660 9, 100 10, 440 Elong. at rupture (percent) 60 32 27 I Birefringence is defined in Table I. b TS means tensile strength of section from example. e Elong. means elongation of section from example.

The above process was applied to multilayered sheets impact and stress craze resistant due to the orientation of varying composition and under varying conditions to built into them by this process. form an essentially pinhole free circular container having It should also be appreciated that the concepts of a diameter of 5 /8 inches, a depth of 1% inches and out- 35 the present invention can be employed in rapid forming wardly sloping side walls. The conditions and results are of preforms with finished rims, which preforms can be indicated below in Table III. In each of the five examples, cooled once forged and stored for later use. When ready the multilayered sheet was coextruded with a glue layer to be used the preforms can then be reheated and thermoof a commercially available ethylene-vinyl acetate coformed into containers. This would be a readily inexpenpolymer having a melt index of 6.0 and 28% vinyl sive and highly practical way to obtain, for example, acetate. multilayered highly oriented preforms which can later be The results of the oxygen permeability test support formed into especially advantageous containers of the the conclusion that the saran layer was continuous and type heretofore described. essentially free of flaws since the values obtained are in While certain representative embodiments and details good agreement with the calculated values for saran of have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the inthe same thickness. Such items find especial use in convention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art tainers for products having extreme sensitivity to oxygen hat varl ges and modifications can be made penetration such as meat packages, latex paints, cheese, therein without departing from the spirit and scope of cooking oil and many other food products. the invention.

TABLE III Average Approxi- Saran Oxygen transmismate saran thickness at sion rate Square thickness Blank Preheat Forge Press bottom of blank size in blank thickness temp. temp. dwell container Meas- Calcu- Example Compositions l (inches) (mils) (mils) F.) F.) (sec.) (mils) ured b latcd 6 MIPS/SIMIPS 2% 13.2 110 200 260 1 2.0 0.78 0.50 7 MIPS/S/MIPS 3% 9.6 95 200 200 1 2.4 0. 40 0.42 s GPPS/S/GPPS 2 8 11.8 110 200 200 1 2 0 0.66 0. 0 GPPS/S/GPPS 3% 11.0 110 200 260 1 2 9 0. 34 0.34 10 HDPE/S/HDPE 3% 5.4 85 275 300 1 1 1 0. e3 0. 01

e MIP S=Medium impact polystyrene (3.5% styrene-butadiene rubber); GPPS: General purpcse polystyrene (no rubber present); S=Saran (vinylidene chloride/vinyl chloride copolymer); HDPE=High density polyethylene 0.959 density 9.5 melt 1ndex.

cc./1O0 in. -24 hours-atmosphere (of samples cut from the bottom of the formed container).

From the foregoing, it is evident that the process of Accordingly, what is claimed asnew is: this invention can be used to produce oriented containers A high Speed PFOCflSS f making t moplastic conwith good stress craze resistance having one or more talners or Q F artlcles Whlch FOmPTISeS the D? of! layers of the same or different polymers. For example, (a) Provldmg thermoplastic blank of material Sufficient for an article In an r n th from 0160 argarme tubs c be ade by 18 process (b) provldrng lubrication for said blank sufliclent to impact modified polystyrene which will have good resist- Permit Substantial plug flow of the same in step (d) ance to the fatty oils of the oleomargarine by virtue of (c) bringing Said l k to a temperature i a rang the orientati n uil into the tub y this p from just below the softening temperature to about By using a white pigmented impact polystyrene sheet, the melting temperature of the material forming said e.g., one containing 15% by weight of finelydivided 7 5 blank,

(d) forging said blank by substantial plug flow in a forging mold heated to a temperature at least as high as the softening temperature of the material forming said blank, said blank being forged into a preform having orientation greater than that of said blank,

(e) maintaining the center portion of said preform substantially at its forming temperature while the peripheral portion thereof is rapidly brought below the softening point of the material forming said blank,

(f) immediately forming said preform into an article having a desired shape and size, and

(g) permitting said article to cool.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said mold is heated to a temperature above the softening point of the resin forming said blank.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein a relatively thin thermoplastic blank is provided by dividing a sheet of thermoplastic material into a plurality of polygonal blanks having a size and shape such that scrap is minimized.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the sheet is divided into square blanks.

5. The process of claim 3 wherein the sheet is divided into hexagonal blanks.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the blank is forged in a forging means having a cooled lip forming means therein whereby the forging pressure applied is suflicient to cause the plastic blank to flow uniformly into the lip forming means with a dwell time just sufiicient to cause the peripheral part thereof to be brought rapidly below the softening point of said plastic while the center portion thereof is maintained at its forming temperature.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein said preform is biaxially oriented when forged from said blank.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein said blank is also biaxially oriented before being forged for increased orientation in the resulting container.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein said blank is multilayered.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic blank is a homogeneous plastic resin.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the homogeneous plastic resin is a polyolefin resin.

.12. The process of claim 11 wherein the polyolefin resin is polyethylene resin.

13. The process of claim 10 wherein the homogeneous plastic resin is a polyvinylaromatic resin.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the polyvinylaromatic resin is polystyrene resin.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein the polyvinylaromatic resin is rubber modified polystyrene resin.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein a finished molded lip is formed in the rim of said preform as it is forged from said blank.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein clamping pressure is exerted on the top and bottom and outwardly of the rim of said preform while it is being forged and thermoformed.

18. The process of claim 1 wherein said thermoforming is effected by vacuum forming.

19. The process of claim 1 wherein said thermoforming is effected by plug assist vacuum forming.

20. The process of claim 1 wherein the blank is forged into a contoured preform in said forging mold.

21. The process of claim 1 wherein said blank is distortion printed prior to being forged into said preform.

22. A high speed process capable of making relatively large thermoplastic preforms or articles which comprises the steps of:

(a) providing a thermoplastic blank of material sufficient for a preform or article,

(b) providing lubrication for said blank sufficient to permit substantial plug flow of the same in step (d),

(c) bringing said thermoplastic material to a temperature in a range from just below the softening temperature to about the melting temperature of the material forming said blank,

(d) forging said thermoplastic material by substantial plug flow in a forging mold which is heated to a temperature at least as high as the material forming said blank, said blank being forged into a preform having orientation greater than that of said blank,

(e) the peripheral portion of said preform rapidly being brought below the softening point of the material forming said blank, and

(f) permitting the rest of said preform or article to cool.

23. The process of claim 22 wherein the thermoplastic blank is a multilayered blank of at least two like thermoplastic resin materials.

24. The process of claim 22 wherein said preform is subsequently reheated to a forming temperature and thermoformed into a container having a desired shape and size, and permitting said container to cool.

25. The process of claim 22 wherein said preform is biaxially oriented when forged from said blank.

26. The process of claim 25 wherein the thermoplastic blank is a multilayered blank of at least two different thermoplastic resin materials.

27. The process of claim 25 wherein said blank is also biaxially oriented before being forged for increased orientation in the article eventually resulting therefrom.

28. The process of claim 27 wherein said blank is multilayered.

29. A high speed process for making thermoplastic containers or other articles which comprises the steps of:

(a) providing a multilayered blank of thermoplastic material sufficient for an article,

(b) providing lubrication for said blank sufficient to permit substantial plug flow of the same in step (d),

(c) bringing said blank to a temperature in a range from just below the softening temperature to about the rlriielting temperature of the material forming said b an (d) forging said blank by substantial plug flow in a forging mold heated to a temperature at least as high as the softening temperature of the material forming said blank, said blank being forged into a firefirm having orientation greater than that of said (e) maintaining the center portion of said preform substantially at its forming temperature while the peripheral portion thereof is rapidly brought below the softening point of the material forming said blank,

(f) immediately forming said preform into an article having a desired shape and size, and

(g) permitting said article to cool.

30. The process of claim 29 wherein the layers of said multilayered blank are of at least two different materials.

31. The process of claim 30 wherein the multilayer blank comprises a laminate of at least two layers one of which is a polyvinyl aromatic resin and the other of which is of a different thermoplastic resin.

32. The process of claim 31 wherein the polyvinyl aromatic resin is polystyrene resin.

33. The process of claim 31 wherein the other layer is a core of a polyvinylidene chloride resin.

34. The process of claim 31 wherein the other layer is a core of an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer resin.

35. The process of claim 30 wherein the multilayer blank comprises a laminate of two surface layers of a polyolefin resin with a core of polyvinylidene chloride resin, and glue layers securing the surface layers to the core layer.

36. The process of claim 35 wherein the polyolefin resin is polyethylene resin.

37. The process of claim 29 wherein the layers of said multilayered blank are of at least two like materials.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Kidder 264 325 Goetgheluck 264-102 X Goins 264-325 X Scalora 26497 Biglin et a1. 18-19 F X Hey 1819 F X Ayres 264333 X 12 OTHER REFERENCES Cleereman et al., SPE Journal, Bottle Blowing Using Multiaxially Oriented Injection Molded Parisons, July 1968, vol. 24, pp. 27-31.

Werner et al., SPE Journal, Forging High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, December 1968, vol. 24, pp. 76- 79.

Coifman, SPE Journal, Forming Plastics by Metal Working Techniques, January 1969, vol. 25, pp. 50-54.

US. Cl. X.R. 

